City puts houses out for bids, clears way for health facility

This two-story home at 747 6th Ave. W., Hendersonville, is being auctioned on GovDeals.com by the city of Hendersonville.

PATRICK SULLIVAN/TIMES-NEWS

By MOLLY MCGOWANTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, August 4, 2014 at 5:33 p.m.

Local developers, renovators or salvage companies have until Thursday to bid on a 107-year-old house the city of Hendersonville is removing to allow for a $16.2 million joint health education facility coming to Henderson County.

This two-story home at 747 6th Ave. W., Hendersonville, is being auctioned on GovDeals.com by the city of Hendersonville.

PATRICK SULLIVAN/TIMES-NEWS

Before Vannoy Construction can begin work on the facility to be shared by Wingate University, Pardee Hospital and Blue Ridge Community College, the land at 747 Sixth Ave. W. needs to be cleared of the two-story house and guesthouse that have been there for a century, and the city wanted any interested parties to have a shot at relocating the structure or removing and refurbishing its valuable assets.

The home is described as having five bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, a dining room, kitchen and pantry, living room and two bonus rooms. The guesthouse is a wood-framed, one-bedroom structure with a bathroom, kitchen, living room and small foyer.

The city is using GovDeals Inc. to auction both of the structures, with a starting bid of $5. Bidding is open until Thursday morning. GovDeals Inc. sells surplus properties and equipment for city, county, state and some federal government entities in 48 states, according to company president Bob DeBardelaben.

City Manager John Connet said the city wanted to “get the word out” about the houses so that anyone interested in preserving them in whole or part could take advantage of the auction opportunity.

Whether someone purchases the structures to relocate them, pick them apart or demolish them onsite, Connet said the land needs to be cleared of the houses by Aug. 25 or the city will demolish them.

“To remove all structures, it's roughly a $14,000 cost for us,” he said.

So, the city is potentially looking at a money-saver, if a person or company pays to refurbish and remove the structures.

“It'd be nice if somebody would ... put some sliders under that thing and move it to another property,” DeBardelaben said, referring to the two-story house. “It's a very beautiful old home.”

He acknowledged that relocation would be the priciest option, and figures it'd be more feasible for a salvage company or renovator to remove and repurpose the house's antique wooden elements.

“I see a lot of good doors in there,” DeBardelaben said. “(There are) a lot of beautiful wood beams in those houses.”

Sally Dill can confirm DeBardelaben's observations about the house, having spent her childhood and the past eight years in the two-story home — which has been in her family for 69 years.

“The woodwork inside of it really can't be replaced,” she said. “It was actually built in 1907.”

In 1945, her parents purchased the home, where they raised Dill, her sister, and their five brothers.

“We used to all bunk downstairs and rented upstairs,” she said.

More recently, Dill and her husband, Leon, moved back into her childhood home to take care of it after Dill's mother passed away.

“We've been there eight years,” Leon Dill said, adding that the city purchased the house in January and the Dills moved out on July 14.

“It just cost a fortune to heat it and I was glad to move,” Leon Dill said. “(Sally) had real emotions about it.”

<p>Local developers, renovators or salvage companies have until Thursday to bid on a 107-year-old house the city of Hendersonville is removing to allow for a $16.2 million joint health education facility coming to Henderson County.</p><p>Before Vannoy Construction can begin work on the facility to be shared by Wingate University, Pardee Hospital and Blue Ridge Community College, the land at 747 Sixth Ave. W. needs to be cleared of the two-story house and guesthouse that have been there for a century, and the city wanted any interested parties to have a shot at relocating the structure or removing and refurbishing its valuable assets.</p><p>The home is described as having five bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, a dining room, kitchen and pantry, living room and two bonus rooms. The guesthouse is a wood-framed, one-bedroom structure with a bathroom, kitchen, living room and small foyer.</p><p>The city is using GovDeals Inc. to auction both of the structures, with a starting bid of $5. Bidding is open until Thursday morning. GovDeals Inc. sells surplus properties and equipment for city, county, state and some federal government entities in 48 states, according to company president Bob DeBardelaben.</p><p>City Manager John Connet said the city wanted to “get the word out” about the houses so that anyone interested in preserving them in whole or part could take advantage of the auction opportunity. </p><p>Whether someone purchases the structures to relocate them, pick them apart or demolish them onsite, Connet said the land needs to be cleared of the houses by Aug. 25 or the city will demolish them.</p><p>“To remove all structures, it's roughly a $14,000 cost for us,” he said.</p><p>So, the city is potentially looking at a money-saver, if a person or company pays to refurbish and remove the structures.</p><p>“It'd be nice if somebody would ... put some sliders under that thing and move it to another property,” DeBardelaben said, referring to the two-story house. “It's a very beautiful old home.”</p><p>He acknowledged that relocation would be the priciest option, and figures it'd be more feasible for a salvage company or renovator to remove and repurpose the house's antique wooden elements.</p><p>“I see a lot of good doors in there,” DeBardelaben said. “(There are) a lot of beautiful wood beams in those houses.”</p><p>Sally Dill can confirm DeBardelaben's observations about the house, having spent her childhood and the past eight years in the two-story home — which has been in her family for 69 years.</p><p>“The woodwork inside of it really can't be replaced,” she said. “It was actually built in 1907.”</p><p>In 1945, her parents purchased the home, where they raised Dill, her sister, and their five brothers. </p><p>“We used to all bunk downstairs and rented upstairs,” she said.</p><p>More recently, Dill and her husband, Leon, moved back into her childhood home to take care of it after Dill's mother passed away.</p><p>“We've been there eight years,” Leon Dill said, adding that the city purchased the house in January and the Dills moved out on July 14. </p><p>“It just cost a fortune to heat it and I was glad to move,” Leon Dill said. “(Sally) had real emotions about it.”</p><p>“It was kind of heartbreaking,” Sally Dill said. “(There are) a lot of memories.”</p><p>To bid on the houses at 747 Sixth Ave. W., visit www.GovDeals.com/realestate, and type “Hendersonville NC” into the search bar to locate the structures. Bidding closes 4 a.m. Thursday.</p><p>___</p><p>Reach McGowan at molly.mcgowan@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7871.</p><p>___</p><p>Follow Molly McGowan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TNmollymcgowan</p>